


Time to Leave

by happydaygirl



Category: Red Dwarf (UK TV)
Genre: Angst, Gen, Poor Rimmer, Pre series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-16
Updated: 2020-09-16
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:47:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26495878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/happydaygirl/pseuds/happydaygirl
Summary: It’s the start of the mission aboard Red Dwarf, and Lister is in serious need of a beer. He wanders the mass of people waiting to leave and head off into the big black, coming across a certain second technician as he does so...
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	Time to Leave

The docking bay was horribly busy, filled with people pressed in together trying to make their ways to the various ships ready to take them into the big black. There were four moored here ready to go, but Lister didn’t have any problem identifying his craft; Red Dwarf sat magnificently between two military grey ships, it’s scarlet paintwork almost comical compared to the sombre dreariness of its sister ships.

He patted down his pockets, grateful for the couple of dollarpounds he had managed to save; surely there was a beer stand somewhere around here? He hoisted his bag higher up his back and set off,dodging men in tatty overalls and people prancing about in overstarched uniforms alike.

He wondered idly for a few seconds, after he had been roughly shouldered out of the way by a snooty looking woman with medals adorning her lapels, if he was invisible. To these people he probably was, he thought to himself as he resigned himself to also shoving his way through the dense crowd, ignoring all annoyed looks thrown his way.

The docking bay was outside in the open yet the place stank of fuel, and Lister resisted the urge to plug his nose. He was glad of the toupee over the ozone layer now- they’d all have died years ago if they hadn’t of done something to stop all this bloody global warming.

He scooted round the sides of the bay, eyes peeled for a beer stand or something amongst the throng of people and noise- he stopped and looked over as he heard an over-enthusiastic mother tearfully hug her son, sobbing loudly on his shoulder as he looked awkwardly round and patted her on the top of the head.

‘I’m not going forever, mum…’ the man said, peering down at his mother and trying not to roll his eyes affectionally as she released him, and was now dabbing at her eyes with a hankie. ‘I’ll be back before you know it!’

‘I know, love…’ the mother nodded, before her face crumpled again as the man leant forwards and gave her one last cuddle.

‘Look at you,’ she said, voice quivering as the man shouldered his bag. ‘Second Officer. I’m so proud of you, Frank. Your dad would’ve been so proud too…’

‘I know mum,’ Frank nodded, before he gave her what Lister assumed was a trademark wink before he turned round and walked towards him. Before he turned and made his way towards Red Dwarf Lister managed to catch his name on his lapel. ‘Todhunter.’

He gave Lister a polite nod of the head before he walked over to another group of what Lister assumed was his officer pals.

Lister pressed on, now positively gasping for a cold beer as a horrible feeling of claustrophobia trickled into his chest. He crossed to the other side of the hanger, his heart sinking as he saw no sign of any refreshments whatsoever. Resigning himself to having to find a drink once in the air, he turned again as a peculiar threesome caught his eye.

They were stood to the side, not interacting with anyone- the woman looked like a bulldog chewing a wasp as she stood there, hands clutching her handbag as she looked round, eyes almost bulging from her head. The older man was thickset and mustachiod, his small eyes narrowed as he stood stoically. The younger man was obviously their son- a thin man with curly hair and a nervous expression on his face.

‘You didn’t have to come..’ he heard the man say, an almost confused tone to his voice as he looked over at his parents. ‘I was happy to come on my own as usual.’

‘Well, we heard Howard might be here, so we decided it was worth the trip.’ The mother snapped, and Lister realised she was craning her neck, now obviously looking for someone.

‘Oh.’ The younger man visibly deflated. Lister felt a pang of pity for this stranger as he now picked up his bag with one hand and a businessman’s briefcase with the other. Neither parent was looking at him, and Lister could see the younger man was opening and closing his mouth like a fish, as if trying to think of something to say.

‘Well, I better get going…’ he said eventually, before Lister saw his eyes suddenly widen as his father placed a hand on his shoulder.

‘Rimmer, listen-‘

‘Yes, Father?’ Lister heard an almost hopeful tone to his voice now, as if he was expecting this all along.

‘Don’t mess this up again. You’ve been here fourteen years now- try and make something of yourself this time.’

If a man could fall to the floor due to pure shock and disappointment, Lister reckoned that this man, Rimmer, would have done. He watched as he swallowed hard, before his father spoke again, ‘you better do something to make me proud this time or don’t bother coming back at all- oh, I forgot, you’re asecond technician. Fat chance of that then…’

Lister frowned as the father patted Rimmer on the shoulder again as he guffawed loudly at his own words, before his wife suddenly grinned and pointed to a point over Rimmer’s head. ‘Oh look, it’s Howard!’ She shrieked, before she walked off without another word to her other son, her husband a step behind. The man sagged lower as they left him, and Lister could see from here how his eyes were glassy as he swallowed hard again, a pink tinge on his cheeks as he stared at the ground.

Lister wondered whether he should go over, introduce himself. This man needed a friend, he could see, and Lister hardly had anyone he could call a mate yet…

He was just about to step forwards when a large hand slammed on his shoulder. A large, ginger man looked over him, a silver can in his hands. ‘You look like you could do with a drink!’ He said, his accent twanging in Lister’s ears as he took the proffered drink.

‘Olaf Petersen- catering officer!’ Petersen introduced himself, hand out.

Lister sighed in happiness as he swallowed a large mouthful of cold lager. ‘Dave Lister. Third technician.’ He replied, grinning as they shook hands.

‘I think, Dave Lister third technician-‘ he said, putting an arm round Lister, an easy smile on his face, ‘-we are going to be firm friends!’

‘Friends…’ Lister muttered under his breath, before looking back over to where he had seen the curly hairs man from before. Maybe he could make another friend while he was here… his heart sank slightly as he saw the space was now empty.

The deafening sound of a horn suddenly erupted around them. ‘That’s our cue to get strapped in, my new friend!’ Petersen said- he led Lister round and back into the throng of people; Lister still had his eyes peeled for the other man, but he figured he could just look for him on board.

‘Come on, lets get this show on the road, shall we?’ Petersen grinned, before the two of them boarded, leaving the crowd of people behind them.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!  
> Poor Rimmer, I felt bad even writing that 🥺  
> Please let me know what you think!


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